Ascot United welcome in-form play off chasers Raynes Park Vale to the Racecourse on Saturday for what is their penultimate home game of the season (3pm). Our online-only matchday programme, which sees Simon and JT pen their thoughts and a mention for Ascot United in the Non-League paper column, is here.
The two sides met on the opening day of the season when Ascot raced into a two-nil lead early-on and squandered other opportunities to go further ahead, before a galvanised home side roared back to win 3-2.
Vale are looking good for a play-off spot with Southall and Westfield in-and-around them; the three sides battling it out for what realistically looks like the final two places given that Leatherhead and Marlow are comfortably 2nd and 3rd respectively behind champions-elect Chertsey.
There’s a big game at the other end of the table with relegation-haunted Binfield hosting Ashford still pursuing the greatest of escapes – and they will view several of their remaining fixtures against those around them as winnable – although the wet weather late in the week may still have a say in Saturday’s program despite good weather forecasts for the weekend.
On Sunday, Ascot United Women play their final league game of the season at Woodley (Bulmershe, 2pm) knowing that victory for them and defeat for Bournemouth at Warminster on the same afternoon will see them crowned champions. Any other permutation will likely take matters to Bournemouth’s final game next weekend, but The Yellawomen can only focus on their task but must do so with a growing injury list; influential skipper and right-back Georgia Luckhurst-McCord ruled out with injury adding to the defensive woes triggered when Laura Moss was also ruled out for the season a few weeks ago.
Match reports from both games to follow.